This invention relates to a valve-controlled compressionignition engine with direct fuel injection and an intake passage inducing the inflowing air to rotate around the cylinder axis, comprising a toroidal combustion chamber, which is located in the piston and in which almost all of the combustion air is confined towards the end of the compression stroke, whose opening towards the piston top has a reduced diameter, thus forming a restricted passage or throat with a cylindrical boundary and further comprising a rotationally symmetric center part forming part of the toroidal combustion chamber, as well as an injection nozzle, whose holes are located approximately on the axis of the combustion chamber and through which the fuel is fed into the toroidal combustion chamber.